The brushes most commonly used for applying mascara to the eyelashes have an envelope surface of generally elongate shape, and seek to make up as many eyelashes as possible simultaneously.
Accessing the eyelashes that are situated at the corners of the eyes remains relatively difficult with such brushes, as does applying makeup to the bottom set of eyelashes, which are generally shorter.
European patent application EP 1 649 777 discloses brushes that are relatively short, having bristles that define an envelope surface that is biconical. The angle defined by the slopes of the envelope surface on either side of the peak ridge is relatively acute, being less than 120°.
Such brushes are more particularly for applying makeup to eyelashes or eyebrow hairs, the applicator being used with the stem oriented substantially parallel to the set of eyelashes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,987 discloses a brush having two portions of different cross-sections and having corresponding envelope surfaces that are connected together forming a step. One of the portions is more particularly for loading the eyelashes, and the other is for combing them. The portion for combing the eyelashes defines an envelope surface that is off-center and of constant cross-section that extends a fair way from the distal end of the applicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,138 discloses a brush having a cross-section passing via a minimum, then via a maximum, said maximum being relatively far from the distal end of the applicator.
French patent FR 2 715 038 and European patent EP 0 663 161 disclose brushes having an envelope surface that is biconical with one or more plane faces.
JP 2002-172 019 discloses a brush of constant section, including a twisted core that is provided at its end with a flocked endpiece having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the brush.
EP 1 459 647 discloses brushes including deformed bristles.
US 2008/0060669 disclose flocked applicators.
DE 202 13 851 discloses a mascara brush including bristles that increase in length on moving towards the free end of the brush.
US 2004/018 037 relates to a flocked applicator that does not have a cross-section that increases, and then decreases, along two perpendicular axes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,011 describes a brush including notches extending from a mid-plane. The cross-section of the brush is the same on either side of the notches.
British application No. 2 170 996 describes a brush including a succession of grooves. Its cross-section passes via a maximum that is substantially mid-way along the envelope surface.
FR 2 906 115 discloses a spherical applicator. This citation is not an admission that the contents of the publication is prior art under 35 USC 102.
Application FR 2 506 581 describes an applicator including a core having a plurality of flexible branches that is held between a stem and an adjustment member that is suitable for sliding in the stem. At its end, the adjustment member includes a head that bears against the core and that impedes the applicator from being used other than with the stem oriented substantially tangentially to the set of eyelashes.